How many Guides can Fork Handle, in the last 4 years I would venture that the number has about doubled. I do know that the Good ones stay booked all the time. Is it getting saturated with guides ?

Always have been a lot of guides on Fork. Some make it, most don't.

It's a dog eat dog - cut throat way to make a living, I feel sorry for most of em.
So many of em talk bad about the others.
The best one out there just keeps on saying "Haters Hate"

^^^ this

If a guide can support the family and lifestyle doing what he/she loves on the Lake than I'm all for how ever many are willing to try. At some point its all about results and client satisfaction.

I have all the respect for the guides. I am in sales so I take clients from time to time and there kids. I just did about three trips in a row and it was a lot of hard work on the water. once I got off the water had to spend a couple of hours each time redoing a lot of my reels. Also it cost a lot more money then normal, more gas, drinks and fishing line. I think next time I will just pay a guide and take them.

"The good ones stay booked". Guess it's still OK. Free enterprise will keep the ones alive that deserve/earn it. But yes, it seems like it has become a lot of new guides dream the last couple years.

yep a lot of Guides ...some good some not so good ....most don't care if there clients catch fish or not they still stick there hands out .....! But got a tour of the lake ...! I ratter hire one that lives on the Lake...!I fill they want you to catch fish ...

I disagree. If they don't care they don't stay in business very long. There are exceptions to that rule, but not many.

About as many as Okee

You looking to start SAL guiding full time Mark?

It can handle as many that think they want to try....half of them will be offering sandbass trips claiming that the bite is tough anyways. Lol

Pm sent, Mark....would like to be first customer...

I heard before the fish kill there was around 450.

And you know fishing was a lot easier back in those days. Consistent guides have to put in the time to keep track of these fish now a days just to make sure their clients have fish to catch.

Schools come and go and die off eventually so new patterns have to be developed and that takes time on the water besides taking out clients. The job is not that easy if you do it right. Just getting some suckers to pay for your day of fishing is not what I call be a good guide.

Expectations, the clients expectations of catching a monster bass. A Monster bass is relative to where they come from, or how much they fish... I can't deal with that and get paid, buddy to buddy deal for fun, know problem.. How these guys deal with that alone baffles me, much less having total strangers in your boat and using your gear sometimes.. I give all these guys props just for having the confidence, and desire to be a guide..
It's a tuff lifes choice imo, many other careers that pay better and give you more free time, especially starting up a business on Fork, and surounding lakes.. It's not easy like it used to be, well it's never really been easy.. Fork will always have a new recruitment of new bass hunters...